Hep B-- is there another name??

[Savoir Faire]

I'm looking at my son's immunization charts for preschool. (These things are a nightmare to go through, month by month.) Anyway, I'm looking and it says he hasn't had Heb B but he did have an HIB. Google is not being my friend and honestly, I don't really see the need for him to have Heb B if he hasn't been vaccinated yet.

Are Heb B and HIB the same? Drs appt is tomorrow, so I want to be prepared.

[amnesiac]

No, those two things are different. They might have listed a brand name or used a combination vaccine like Comvax though.

[lilbsmama]

No, Hep B and HIB are not the same. Mainstream protocol is to give the Heb B within 24 hours of birth. Children absolutely do not need this vax, because technically, it is an STD, and what baby is going to be contracting those, KWIM?

Hib is the vax for bacterial meningitis.

[Savoir Faire]

I feel really stupid for always just following along. :

I'm not against vaccines but I should know better. I'm seeing that he has had HIB in 2007 but no hep B (he did go to a different doctor when he was born...but why would the newer doctor not update his records?).

If they offer up Hep B, I'll decline. His school sent me an email pressuring to get another polio, which he doesn't need yet.

Sheesh. This is confusing.

[Gitti]

Originally Posted by Savoir Faire

I feel really stupid for always just following along. :

I'm not against vaccines but I should know better. I'm seeing that he has had HIB in 2007 but no hep B (he did go to a different doctor when he was born...but why would the newer doctor not update his records?).

If they offer up Hep B, I'll decline. His school sent me an email pressuring to get another polio, which he doesn't need yet.

Sheesh. This is confusing.

You do know that you can decline any/all vaccine/s you don't feel comfortable injecting into his immune system, right?

Research!

[KimberlyD0]

Originally Posted by lilbsmama

No, Hep B and HIB are not the same. Mainstream protocol is to give the Heb B within 24 hours of birth. Children absolutely do not need this vax, because technically, it is an STD, and what baby is going to be contracting those, KWIM?

Hib is the vax for bacterial meningitis.

Hep B is not only a STD. It is also a blood desease.

It can be transfered through the sharing of blood. Usually in the form of a blood transfusion. DD#2 is getting it on Friday because she will be having operations over the next few years and it makes her safer should she requier a blood transfusion. Where I am its usually given at 12/13 years, we're getting it early.

[JMJ]

Some pediatricians are moving away from doing the Hepatitis B vaccine as a baby since babies are not usually at risk for it. You could have a pediatrician who doesn't do it for babies unless there are risk factors. Many pediatricians are now suggesting getting it around 11 or 12 or before kids become sexually active, since that's the way it is spread most often. FWIW, we declined it and have no plans to vaccinate our children for Hep B in the future. When they are old enough, they may look at their own risk factors and make their own informed decision about this vaccine.